Finnish Physical Activity and Aging Initiatives

1a. National Initiatives (Governmental)

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND HEALTH

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health directs and guides policies concerning social security, social welfare and health care. It defines the main lines of social and health policy, prepares legislation and key reforms and supervises their implementation, and handles the necessary links with the political decision-making process.

http://www.vn.fi/vn/stm/english/index.htm

*Programme on Ageing Workers 1998-2002,

http://www.vn.fi/vn/stm/english/ikomieng.htm

*Adding life to years,

http://www.vn.fi/vn/stm/english/pao/ikaeng1.htm

ACADEMY OF FINLAND

The Academy of Finland establishes research programmes in rapidly developing, scientifically important areas of research and in nationally important problem areas requiring scientific knowledge. A research programme is for a fixed period, and the targets of the programme and the steps required for their attainment are itemized in its planning.

http://www.aka.fi/eng/

NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE FOR WELFARE AND HEALTH (STAKES)

STAKES, the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, is committed to safeguarding the future of social welfare and health, to enhancing the health and social well-being of the nation and to promoting social welfare and health services that are of a high quality and cost-effective for all citizens alike.

http://www.stakes.fi/english/

*The Ageing Population and Technology Challenges and Opportunities,
http://www.stakes.fi/etan/index.html

*General issues regarding ageing and technology, INCLUDE-project ,
http://www.stakes.fi/includef/incc340.html

THE FINNISH CENTRE FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY GERONTOLOGY

Main tasks :

*research into ageing, * planning and coordinating the teaching of gerontology

* training researches,* dissemination of research findings, * co-operation and collaboration at national and international levels

Research :

The centre aims at promoting inter- and transdisciplinary research into ageing in the broad fields of health and functional capacity, ageing and social change, lifelong learning and education, and care and services for elderly people. The research starting points and frameworks include perspectives on:

functional capacity
life-course
cohort, generation and gender
lifestyle
health promotion and intervention
ageing,social participation and technology
statistical methods of gerontology
experiencing ageing

The research designs comprise cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches applying both quantitative and qualitative methods. The participating researchers represent health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, sport sciences, educational sciences, caring sciences and statistics. Many research projects are cross-national.

http://www.jyu.fi/liikunta/tervtiede/ger.htm

KUNTOKALLIO - CENTER FOR GERONTOLOGICAL TRAINING AND RESEARCH

Kuntokallio functions as the center for gerontological training and research. Kuntokallio is maintained by the Kuntokallio Foundation. The main interest of the Foundation is to promote favorable conditions of aging by education, research and development work.

http://www.health.fi/kuntokallio/

FINNISH INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Finnish work life benefits from the occupational health and safety expert services provided by both the various departments of the Central Institute as well as the Regional Institutes. These services are mainly performed for workplaces, health care units, and labor market organizations and also foreing firms. The majority of the services performed for state authorities are free of charge, financed by state aid. In 1997 the Institute sold services for FIM 48.5 million.

http://www.occuphealth.fi/e/

LIKES- Research Center

The aim of the LIKES-Research Center is to produce, acquire and pass on scientific information connected with physical culture, sport and health in the areas of social and behavioral sciences, pedagogics, sports biology and biomedicine.

http://www.jyu.fi/likes/english/general.htm

NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE (Kansanterveyslaitos)

http://www.ktl.fi/

THE FINNISH NATIONAL FUND FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (SITRA)

Sitra, the Finnish National Fund for Research and Development, is an independent public fund on the responsibility of the Finnish Parliament. Sitra's operations are mainly financed through income from endowment

investments and project finance. Sitra's mission is to invest in technology firms and venture capital funds, both in

Finland and abroad, and to finance and implement research, training and innovative projects of significant importance nationally. http://www.sitra.fi/english/yleista/index.htm

* SITRA enters the Euro Age, http://www.sitra.fi/english/yleista/index.htm

EXAMPLES OF THE FINNISH UNIVERSITIES IN THE AREA OF AGEING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

University of Jyväskylä, Department of Health Sciences, http://www.jyu.fi/liikunta/tervtiede/eng/

University of Jyväskylä, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, http://www.jyu.fi/~yhtfil/

University of Jyväskylä, Department of Psychology, http://www.jyu.fi/psychology/english.htm

University of Jyväskylä, Department of Education, http://www.jyu.fi/tdk/kastdk/kasv/index.html

University of Helsinki, Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, http://www.helsinki.fi/laak/yle/home.html

Helsinki University Central Hospital, http://www.huch.fi/

University of Kuopio, Department of Nursing Science, http://www.uku.fi/laitokset/hoitot/english.htm

University of Kuopio, Department of Public Health and General Practice, http://www.uku.fi/departments/publichealth/index.html

University of Oulu, Faculty of Medicine, http://cc.oulu.fi/~medicwww/english.html

University of Tampere, Department of Nursing Science, http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/hoito/

University of Tampere, Tampere School of Public Health, http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/tsph/henkilot.htm

University of Turku, Faculty of Medicine, http://www.utu.fi/med/tdk/

1b National Initiatives ( Non-Governmental):

THE CENTRAL UNION FOR THE WELFARE OF THE AGED

The Central Union for the Welfare of the Aged was founded in 1949. The Union works

to improve the welfare and social security of the aged. The Central Union have a membership

consisting of over 300 associations and foundations active in care work and other activities for the aged. The Finnish Slot Machine Association(http://www.ray.fi/ )is funding many activities of the Central Union.

http://www.vanhustyonkeskusliitto.fi/english.htm

ALZHEIMER SOCIETY OF FINLAND

Alzheimer Society of Finland was founded in 1986. It is the central organization for local organizations operating in various parts of the country. It also acts as an interest group for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease as well as their family members. The central organization performs its every day work mainly through supervising, education, research and services.

http://www.alzheimer.fi/alzhengl.htm

THE FINNISH NEUROLOGICAL SOCIETY

http://www.neuro.fi/

3b Local Initiatives (Non Governmental):

METITUR

Metitur Ltd. is a Finnish company that was established in 1996. The range of products manufactured by the company includes equipment and computer programs for testing isometric muscle strength, assessing and training

postural balance, and measuring psychomotor speed. The products provided by the company are mainly based on scientific research carried out at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, since the early 1980s.

e-mail address: metitur@metitur.fi

Internet: http://www.kolumbus.fi/metitur/